The folding iPhone rumored to reach in 2026 would possibly mark a significant turning level for foldable gadgets. However to tug that off, Apple’s first folding cellphone must do extra than simply look good — it must nail the basics.
From sturdiness and design to software program and digital camera efficiency, right here’s all the pieces I need to see within the foldable iPhone.
What I need from Apple’s first foldable iPhone
Foldable Android smartphones have come a great distance in the previous few years. They’re thinner than ever, characteristic improved sturdiness and pack super-bright folding screens. But, they’ve did not go mainstream.
Whereas their steep $1,800-plus worth tags are a key cause behind this, the folding cellphone section wants a push. And that’s one thing solely Apple can present.
Loads is using on the foldable iPhone, particularly since Apple missed the AI practice. And with practically each main smartphone model already providing a stable foldable, Apple will probably be becoming a member of the sport late, dealing with stiff competitors proper from the beginning.
To change into a game-changer just like the iPhone X in 2017, Apple’s first foldable iPhone wants to face out from the gang. Right here’s what the folding iPhone must excel.
Skinny, mild and sturdy
Folding telephones maintain getting thinner.
Photograph: Marques Brownlee
Apple can’t simply glue two iPhone 16 Professionals collectively and name it a folding iPhone. It should make the machine skinny and light-weight to make sure it’s simple to hold round. Whereas just a few further grams or an additional millimeter of thickness would possibly go unnoticed on a slab cellphone, they make an enormous distinction on a folding cellphone.
In a folded state, the foldable iPhone ought to be only a wee bit thicker than the 8.25 mm iPhone 16 Professional Max. And it ought to be as mild — if not lighter — than it.
Samsung’s just lately unveiled Galaxy Z Fold 7 looks like a distinct machine from its predecessor as a result of it’s slimmer and lighter. It measures 8.9 mm thick in a folded state, down from the 12.1 mm Z Fold 6.
The foldable iPhone ought to intention for the same thinness; it will possibly’t go any thinner because of the USB-C port.
Apple will possible have to make main design modifications to tug this off, each inside and out of doors. The upcoming iPhone 17 Air might be a step in that path, with a rumored thickness of 5.5 mm.
Past thinness, the foldable iPhone additionally must be light-weight. Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 7 weighs simply 215 grams — lighter than the iPhone 16 Professional Max, which is available in at 227 grams. This isn’t nearly just a few grams; it makes an enormous distinction in day by day use.
With Oppo, Honor and Samsung launching ultra-slim, book-style foldables, Apple can’t falter on this space.
Moreover being skinny and light-weight, Apple additionally must make the foldable iPhone sturdy. This stays an enormous concern with foldables, as none at the moment provide an IP68 dust- and water resistant score. Some gadgets, just like the Google Pixel 9 Professional Fold, carry an IPX8 score, whereas the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is IP48-certified.
Contemplating iPhones have featured an IP68 score for years, something much less on the foldable iPhone would really feel like a step backward.
iPad energy on a folding iPhone display
An iPad-like expertise on an iPhone? Sure, please!
Photograph: Ian Fuchs/Cult of Mac
Reviews counsel iOS 27 will concentrate on options particular to the foldable iPhone. This appears obligatory, as Apple can’t ship the identical previous iOS expertise on the folding cellphone’s large interior show.
Ideally, the foldable iPhone’s cowl show ought to really feel like utilizing a daily iPhone. However when unfolded, the bigger interior display wants to supply an expertise nearer to utilizing an iPad.
To attain that, the foldable iPhone should seamlessly change between iPhone- and iPad-optimized app layouts throughout its outer and interior shows. Apple already has one large benefit over different Android foldables right here: an enormous library of iPadOS-optimized apps.
Apple must also deliver iPadOS 26‘s multitasking system to the foldable iPhone. A big interior show solely is sensible if it will possibly run two or three apps facet by facet. I don’t need a large display to run blown-up iPhone apps. If the big interior display solely replicates the iPhone expertise, that may undermine the machine’s potential.
Simply as with the 2017 iPhone X, Apple ought to rethink iOS to make the most of the foldable iPhone to its full potential.
Moreover an improved multitasking expertise on the larger display, the foldable iPhone ought to provide assist for Apple Pencil, the stylus that at the moment solely works with iPads. It’s not a must have, however it will be a precious addition for customers who need to sketch, annotate or take notes on the go.
Flagship cameras or bust
The primary folding iPhone can’t skimp on the digital camera.
Photograph: Mkbhd
Almost all Android foldables include a weaker digital camera setup in comparison with their slab-style flagship counterparts. This is because of their super-thin designs, however there’s at all times room for enchancment. And if there’s one firm that may break this custom, it’s Apple.
Like the present iPhone Professionals, the primary foldable iPhone ought to sport a 5x periscope shooter. It must also characteristic a 48MP main and a 48MP ultrawide. These aren’t simply specs on paper — they assist ship a constant Professional-level pictures expertise, no matter type issue.
Apple can’t take the rumored iPhone 17 Air method by equipping the folding iPhone with solely a single rear digital camera. Such a compromise would undermine the foldable iPhone’s flagship id to a big extent.
The foldable iPhone should ship the identical imaging high quality as its slab counterpart. If Apple’s foldable suffers from the identical compromises as current-gen foldables, it is going to be arduous to justify the corporate’s late entry into the market.
Endurance to match the expertise
An enormous battery to match the large display.
Photograph: iFixit
Nearly all Apple gadgets stand out for his or her excellent battery life. The MacBook Air and MacBook Professional can final virtually a day of steady use on a full cost. Likewise, iPads could make it via a day of school with sufficient juice left within the tank to look at a film later within the evening.
iPhones, too, provide nice battery life, with the iPhone 16e lasting considerably longer than every other mannequin. And that’s regardless of it utilizing a paltry 3,961mAh battery — considerably smaller than the 5,000mAh-plus cells most Android telephones use.
A folding iPhone ought to last more than an unusual iPhone. It must ship virtually iPad-like battery life. That’s simpler stated than achieved, particularly since Apple will even must make the machine skinny and light-weight. However then once more, if there’s any firm that may do that, it’s Apple.
The corporate can take its learnings from the favored iPhone 16e and the upcoming iPhone 17 Air and apply them to the folding iPhone. The mixture of power-efficient elements and a decent-size battery ought to allow the folding iPhone to final for much longer than its rivals.
Samsung’s foldables endure from poor battery life, with the OnePlus Open and Pixel 9 Professional Fold fairing higher. Some Chinese language foldables, just like the Oppo Discover N5 and Honor Magic V3, pack large silicon-carbon batteries, enabling them to supply longer runtime. However they don’t seem to be out there in the US.
Apple’s first folding iPhone ought to land within the second half of 2026. By then, the foldable smartphone house can have advanced even additional. To face out, Apple might want to ship extra than simply smooth {hardware}. With AI quickly reshaping the way in which we work together with our gadgets, the foldable iPhone should mix cutting-edge design with significant software program innovation to actually make a mark.
